Cultivation Killed the Cats
by QuickStrike15
Summary: Cheetor and Tigerhawk are sent to retrieve the sparks from Megatron's spark chamber, but they have new Vehicon generals to deal with. Third in the series.


"CULTIVATION KILLED THE CATS"  
  
WRITTEN BY  
QUICKSTRIKE15  
(TIEANBRICE@AOL.COM)  
  
Cheetor and Tigerhawk, in Beast mode, enter a new Cybertronian sector. Cheetor looks around.  
CHEETOR: "I guess this is the place. Man, I can't believe we let Megatron ruin this whole planet."  
TIGERHAWK: "Don't worry, we'll be the ones to make it even better than it was before."  
CHEETOR: "You're right. Just have to have some faith. Heh, faith, haven't used that word in a while."  
TIGERHAWK: "Good word to use." They continue walking through the area.  
CHEETOR: "I don't see any sparks yet. Not even anything bright, which would certainly stick out in a place as dark as this."  
TIGERHAWK: "Well, they have to be somewhere, so we've got to look everywhere." They look around, jumping up and down platforms, searching over and under objects of all kinds.  
CHEETOR: "Man, nothing. This place is too spooky for sparks to hang around, anyway."  
TIGERHAWK: "There must be something. This is the ideal location for sparks to gather in this entire grid. I know there's something here, I can feel it."  
CHEETOR: "You always were good at that 'feeling' stuff."  
TIGERHAWK: "Well, being in tune with your organic side, you learn a few things. I'm sure that you can feel it too."  
CHEETOR: "Think so?"  
TIGERHAWK: "Know so. Just try. In your technorganic body, it should be simple."  
CHEETOR: "Here goes." Cheetor closes his eyes.  
TIGERHAWK: "Now, focus on the air around you. Sense the energy in the waves. Search for any inconsistent pattern, a blip on the radar. That's what you want to find."  
CHEETOR: "Nothing yet...wait! I've got something!"  
TIGERHAWK: "Yes, I feel it too. Two of them, on the other side of the city."  
CHEETOR: "Let's get after them!" Cheetor zooms toward the assumed sparks, with Tigerhawk following close behind.  
  
***  
  
Cheetor and Tigerhawk almost reach the end of the city.  
CHEETOR: "You know, I've been meaning to ask you, how did you know before any of us? How did you notice the importance of the organic side?"  
TIGERHAWK: "Good question. Now let's also keep in mind that my identity circuits were damaged when I crash-landed on Earth. But, I guess it was just a feeling I had, something in the back of my mind told me that the way of the beast was the way of peace. The life of a robot certainly isn't terrible, but the life of an animal is just more tranquil, and I find that only in tranquillity can one truly find themselves. And so, with the combination of beast and robot, all lives you lead can be tranquil."  
CHEETOR: "That's deep. You always had the right idea."  
TIGERHAWK: "Thanks. You know, I never did have the mindset that pegged me a visionary, but I guess the visionary mindset always had me pegged." Cheetor chuckles.  
CHEETOR: "Okay, here's the city limit. But I don't see any sparks."  
TIGERHAWK: "But I can still feel their energy, and it's very close." They both see bright lights.  
CHEETOR: "There they are!" They look to see that the bright lights are Vehicon spotlights. "Oh, no! Duck!" They hide in a pile of construction equipment. "I don't get it! I thought we sensed sparks nearby, not Vehicons!"  
TIGERHAWK: "Perhaps the Vehicons have already captured them."  
CHEETOR: "I don't think so. I can't spot any spark chambers on them. Besides, we only sensed two, and there are two Vehicons, so if they caught them, they'd have booked by now."  
TIGERHAWK: "Unless, they didn't capture the sparks at all."  
CHEETOR: "You mean..."  
TIGERHAWK: "Megatron must have bred some new living Vehicons!"  
CHEETOR: "But that's impossible! How did he get his technological claws on any sparks?"  
TIGERHAWK: "Well, it doesn't matter now. What matters is getting them out of those drones."  
CHEETOR: "You're right. But we've got to do this delicately, we wouldn't want the sparks to suffer any permanent damage."  
TIGERHAWK: "The greatest care. Now, let's go." The Maximals sneak up behind the Vehicons while they patrol. When they get close enough, they jump up to climb on top of them, but when they get into the air, the Vehicons turn around, and swat them down.  
CHEETOR: "Ow! How did they know?!"  
"Well, you could say we have a sixth sense about these things!"  
CHEETOR: "But that sounds like Terrorsaur!"  
TERRORSOAR: "Yes, I am new and improved! And I like this look, much more sleek, don't you think?"  
TIGERHAWK: "Looks like we weren't the only ones who found a way out of the Matrix!"  
TERRORSOAR: "Nope, sorry. Oh, how rude of me, I forgot to introduce you to another old friend." He motions to the tank drone next to him.  
"How've you been, Maximal scum?"  
CHEETOR: "Scorponok?!"  
TANKONOK: "Tankonok now. And I feel like squashing some Maximals! How about you, Terrorsoar?"  
TERRORSOAR: "I do believe I am in the mood. So, let's get to it!"  
TANKONOK: "Tankonok, Pulverize!"  
TERRORSOAR: "Terrorsoar, Afterburn!" They transform to robot mode.  
CHEETOR: "Wuh-oh! Let's get moving, Big Cat!"  
TIGERHAWK: "Right behind you, Little Cat!" They leap to their feet, and take off before the first Vehicon shots make contact.  
TERRORSOAR: "Rats!"  
TANKONOK: "Actually, they're both cats."  
TERRORSOAR: "Would you please shut up, and start searching for the Maximals?"  
TANKONOK: "Right." He transforms back to vehicle mode, and follows them.  
TERRORSOAR: "We're going to play a fun game of cat and mouse. But that would certainly confuse things, now wouldn't it? Ah-ha-ha-ha!" He transforms back to vehicle mode, and burns his jets in chase.  
CHEETOR: "This is not good! How did Scorponok and Terrorsaur make it back from the dead?"  
TIGERHAWK: "I suppose a bad Predacon never dies, it just bides its time until the right moment to strike presents itself. But if they're here chasing us, how much you wanna bet that there are other previously deceased Predacons sabotaging the other Maximals' missions?"  
CHEETOR: "That's a good point. But if we're gonna help them, we've gotta save ourselves first!"  
TANKONOK: "Run, little Maximals, 'cause when playtime is over, it's dinnertime! And I'm hungry for cats smothered in Energon fuel!"  
CHEETOR: "Is it just me, or did they come back crazier than ever?"  
TIGERHAWK: "Split up, we can lose him!" Cheetor heads down one street going left, Tigerhawk the other leading right. Tankonok reaches the intersection, and chooses to follow Tigerhawk.  
TANKONOK: "Here, kitty, kitty, kitty!" He fires his laser cannon at Tigerhawk. The tiger manages to dodge each shot.  
TIGERHAWK: "Can't keep this up too much longer! Have to outsmart him!" Tigerhawk thinks of something. He stops, turns around, and roars at Tankonok.  
TANKONOK: "Farewell, Maximal!" He fires his laser cannon dead center at Tigerhawk. Tigerhawk flies into the air, and the laser hits a pile of barrels full of flammable contents. It explodes, and the fire rushes toward Tankonok. He lets out his trademark scream, and is sent flying backward.  
TIGERHAWK: "Looks like cats can think and land on their feet!"  
  
***  
  
Cheetor rushes away from the approaching Terrorsaur.  
TERRORSAUR: "You can't escape from me! Not as long as I have a bird's eye view of the city! How ironic that a bird's view is inevitably leading to your demise!"  
CHEETOR: "That's what you think, air hog!" Cheetor heads to his left, and quickly scales the wall of a tall building. He leaps into the air, and climbs on Terrorsoar's back. Terrorsoar lets out a screech.  
TERRORSOAR: "Get offa me now!"  
CHEETOR: "No way! This flight's canceled!" He covers Terrorsoar's eyes.  
TERRORSOAR: "Oh, no, you don't!" He turns his nose toward the sky. "Now, let's see just how long you can hold on!" With the ever-increasing wind condition, Cheetor begins to loose his grip. Eventually, he lets go. Terrorsoar turns around, and watches him fall. "Eww! That's gonna be a mess!"  
CHEETOR: "I'm too high to transform! Gotta think of something!" He watches the ground come closer and closer, until Tigerhawk arrives, and snags him. "Whew! That was close! Thanks, Tigerhawk."  
TIGERHAWK: "Anytime." Before they can land, Tigerhawk's wings are hit by laser fire. He struggles to stay aloft, but they both crash to the ground. Cheetor staggers to his feet.  
CHEETOR: "Tigerhawk! Tigerhawk, say something!" Cheetor finds Tigerhawk unconscious. "Oh, no!"  
TERRORSOAR: "Oh, no is right." Both Vehicons meet up with them in robot mode. "Not even the Matrix can save you now!"  
CHEETOR: "Back off, Motorheads!"  
TERRORSOAR: "Or what, you'll give us spotted fever? Fry 'em!" Both Vehicons begin shooting randomly at the Maximals. Cheetor puts his body on top of Tigerhawk's to protect him.  
TANKONOK: "Here's a little going away present for you!" He accesses a grenade, arms it, and tosses it at them. It lands behind them, but makes a large explosion, exposing a hole in the ground. Cheetor sees it.  
CHEETOR: "An underground sector?!"  
TERRORSOAR: "Ah, that hole should suit our needs. Tankonok, again!" Tankonok tosses another grenade, this time coming so close to the Maximals, that the blast forces them into the air. Cheetor lands back on solid ground, but Tigerhawk's limp body is sent flying into the hole.  
CHEETOR: "Tigerhawk!"  
TERRORSOAR: "That fall should be sufficient in shutting down his processor. That's nine lives down, nine more to go!"  
CHEETOR: "No!" Cheetor concentrates, and transforms to robot mode. He races over, and jumps into the hole.  
TERRORSOAR: "Well, he saved us the effort, didn't he?"  
TANKONOK: "We got rid of two Maximals in the same day! The last time we did that was...never!"  
TERRORSOAR: "Obviously these Vehicon vessels are extremely advanced! I'll have to thank Megatron before I slag him and take over Cybertron."  
TANKONOK: "Hey! You'd better not be plotting against Megatron!"  
TERRORSOAR: "Don't be silly. If I were plotting against Megatron, you'd be way too stupid to realize it."  
  
***  
  
Tigerhawk continues to plummet to the bottom of the sector.  
CHEETOR: "I can save you! I can! But how?" Cheetor thinks of something. "I got it!" He reaches into his bag, and grabs a seed grenade. He tosses it full speed at Tigerhawk, and it wraps him in vines. Cheetor then takes his twin swords, combines them, and tosses his boomerang at the vines. It manages to snap one, and comes back to him. He replaces one sword, and grabs the vine when it unravels and catches up to him. Then, he takes the remaining sword, and with all his might, plunges it into the nearest wall. Eventually, the vine becomes taut enough to stop Tigerhawk. "Gotcha!" Cheetor spots a nearby level. "Now, hopefully I can make it." He removes the sword, and maneuvers right over to the platform. He lands, and tugs on the vine to get balanced. He then grabs a support beam with the other arm, and starts pulling Tigerhawk up. After a few cycles, he succeeds. "That was too close." Tigerhawk awakens.  
TIGERHAWK: "What? What happened? I was flying, then I hit my head really hard."  
CHEETOR: "Don't worry about it." He transforms back to Beast mode. "Right now, we have to get out of this place, and stick it to Terrorsoar and Tankonok before they capture any sparks."  
TIGERHAWK: "Could the sparks be here?"  
CHEETOR: "In an unknown underground sector? Yeah, could be! Let's look around!" The Maximals hunt underground, and to their surprise, find three sparks floating around. "All right! We found some!"  
TIGERHAWK: "Let's collect them." Cheetor reaches into the bag, and takes out a couple of hand-held spark chambers. He tosses one to Tigerhawk, and they collect the sparks.  
CHEETOR: "Finally got what we came for."  
TIGERHAWK: "Now, let's take out the Vehicons before they get what we came for!"  
  
***  
  
Terrorsoar and Tankonok continue to search for the sparks.  
TERRORSOAR: "I can't believe it's taken us this long! These stupid sparks have got to be here somewhere!"  
TANKONOK: "Power down, Terrorsoar. They're here, just not out in the open."  
TERRORSOAR: "Tell me to power down one more time, and I'll have your mech fluid out in the open!" Terrorsoar looks back to the hole Tankonok blew in the ground. "Hey, the sparks could be down there! Out of the way, no one knows about it, that's perfect! Let's go!" The Vehicons race back to the opening, and as they prepare to descend, Tigerhawk comes flying out with Cheetor in tow, and knocks the Vehicons flat on their backs. Terrorsoar lets out an insane screech. "How are you still alive?!"  
TIGERHAWK: "The drop was only worth one life!"  
TERRORSOAR: "That's impossible! My lasers still hit your wings dead center! How can you fly?"  
TIGERHAWK: "Amazing what a little of Cybertron's organic liquid can cure! Now, let's show these metallic maroons the power of the Maximals!" He drops Cheetor onto the ground, then lands himself.  
CHEETOR: "I am transformed!" He transforms to robot mode, and draws his twin swords.  
TIGERHAWK: "I am transformed!" He transforms to robot mode, an awesome shade of pure white. His wings shine gold.  
CHEETOR: "Way cool, Big Cat! You made the change!"  
TIGERHAWK: "Feels good to be back in the robotic saddle!"  
TERRORSOAR: "Your stupid shiny wings won't stop us! Attack!" Terrorsoar takes on Cheetor, and Tankonok handles Tigerhawk. "Forget it, cat, you won't beat me!"  
CHEETOR: "Face it, diesel-dactyl, you're new to the game. And I play winners!" He slams his swords onto Terrorsoar's head, and flips backward, ramming the jetplane robot's skull right into the ground, flattening it. "Probably should have mentioned the game is Mouse Trap!"  
TANKONOK: "Stand still, you stupid flying feline!" Tankonok tries his best to crush Tigerhawk with his fists, but the nimble Maximal continually floats away to avoid being hit. "That does it!" He starts firing his laser cannon. Tigerhawk dodges every shot, getting farther and farther away. "Come back here!" Tankonok activates his treads, and follows without even moving, and continues to fire.  
TIGERHAWK: "You're almost at the end of the line, Vehicon!"  
TANKONOK: "Well, you're the one who just got yourself squeezed into a corner!" Tigerhawk notes that he's entered a construction area, and has backed into a fence. "Ha, ha, guess you're not as smart as you thought! Now, say good-bye!" He aims his laser cannon precisely.  
TIGERHAWK: "Good-bye!" He harnesses electric energy in his hands, and fires it under the tank robot. Unfortunately for Tankonok, he's standing on iron beams, which conduct quite a sufficient electrocution. He lets a scream of pain, as his systems spark up, and he collapses. "That was electrifying! Thanks, Tankonok!" Tigerhawk flies over to Cheetor.  
CHEETOR: "You get yours?"  
TIGERHAWK: "He won't be standing for a while."  
CHEETOR: "Good. Now, let's get out of here and warn the others before they're attacked!"  
TIGERHAWK: "I just hope we're not too late." They transform back to Beast mode, and flee the scene. As soon as they're gone, diagnostic drones fill the area.  
DIAGNOSTIC DRONE: "Do not worry, your systems will be operational again in no time." 


End file.
